The Gift of Life
by ladyanaconda
Summary: There are two things a king is expected to have: a queen, and the most important, an heir. Mausinger already has the first. The second is on its way, but he's in for a big surprise. Inspired by PowerOptix's MausingerxRatja prompts.


**I just finished Ni No Kuni II, and I must say I adored it! I particularly loved the themes of forgiveness, particularly on Mausinger, the first 'antagonist' we face, and yet it turns out he was being used by the REAL antagonist. He made mistakes, but in the end, I'm glad he was reformed.**

**This one-shot's inspired on a MausingerxRatja prompt on DeviantArt by PowerOptix, and I instantly fell in love with it. I might do a follow-up or two, who knows?**

* * *

There are two things a king is expected to have. The first is a consort, which in turn will produce the second and most important: an heir.

In order for a royal line to continue long after a monarch's death, a child is needed, and the cycle would repeat endlessly, ensuring the survival of the reigning family for many years to come.

Finding the first wasn't very hard. Mausinger was happy to say he found love in the lovely Ratja, previously a handmaiden to the then-prince Evan, now his beloved queen. Her sweet nature and caring personality were what drew him to her in the first place. It helped that she knew him from before, back in their life in Dell's slums before either could ever imagine their current lives. He almost lost her after… the coup and the misled actions that followed, but after the blindfold was taken off his eyes he did everything within his power to make things right again, which included winning her trust (and love) back.

Then there's the issue with the heir. Not long after the defeat of the Horned One, and their wedding, they learned a child was on the way. Mausinger wanted to be happy at the prospect of fatherhood, he really did, but a part of him did not think he was worthy of such a gift after everything he did. Of course, he did his best not to let Ratja, or anyone, notice.

Months later, a message arrived from Evermore.

"What did it say?"

"It's an invitation for a round of war games," Mausinger said simply as he joined her in bed. Nowadays it was more of a fun way to encourage cooperation between their kingdoms rather than a military exercise.

"Will we be joining them?"

"I don't think so, it won't do good for you to travel such a long distance in your state."

"_You_ could go then."

"Absolutely not."

"Otto…"

Very few could ever call him by name. He sighed. "I'm _not_ going to leave you alone, especially not right now." He said, grabbing her hand tightly.

Ratja raised an eyebrow. "Otto, I know you. This isn't just because of the baby, is it?"

Sometimes he forgot she knew him better than himself sometimes. An uncomfortable silence followed before he exhaled a deep breath. "I cannot bear to show my face over there." He trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

"What do you mean? You're more than welcome in Evermore. Otherwise, they wouldn't be inviting you, am I right?"

Mausinger sighed again. "I know. But I…" He didn't know how to describe it. Evan always welcomed him with open arms, but… "What if something happens while I'm gone?" He asked, changing the topic.

Thankfully, Ratja didn't press the issue any further. "We'll be fine," she smiled, rubbing her round belly. "Besides, it'll only be for a few days, right? There's still quite some time."

The due date for the birth was in a few weeks, according to the doctor. Still, the early bird catches the worms. Mausinger had already made arrangements to make sure everything would be ready for when the time came, especially after these past months. Ratja stayed in bed most of the time because it was exhausting to move around with such a large abdomen; he didn't blame her, sometimes even _he_ wished the castle didn't have so many corridors and stairs.

"… Ratja, are you sure?"

"I insist, Otto, everything will be fine. Besides, you really should get out more often, these days you spend too much time working."

"For your information, I take my duty seriously."

"Life is more than just work," Ratja rubbed her abdomen again for emphasis. "We still haven't thought of any names, you know."

"It would be much easier if we knew for certain if we're having a boy or a girl."

"Bracken offered to help us with that, remember?"

Mausinger frowned. "I wasn't going to let that woman test her invention on you!"

"You didn't even let her explain how it worked." Ratja countered, rolling her eyes lightly.

"I don't trust Broadleaf machinery. From what I hear, they're as stupid as whoever programs them."

"Just don't repeat that in front of Vector or you'll be in trouble."

"I wouldn't worry about Vector," Mausinger motioned his wife to lean in closer and whispered into his wife's ear. "It's the Bracken girl that gives me the creeps."

* * *

Mausinger departed two days later along with a small quarter of Dell's military to participate in the games. Before he left, they had one last talk.

"If something happens…"

"We'll be fine, Otto. Really, you shouldn't worry too much."

"Just… In the _very slim_ chance that something actually happens, promise me you'll send me a message."

Ratja sighed. "I promise you that if something _does_ occur, you'll be the first to know." She placed his hand on her abdomen. "Say bye to papa, little one…" her fur bristled lightly as she felt the little feet.

Mausinger returned the smile. "I have the feeling he's going to have a lot of energy."

"He?"

"Don't start with that again, my dear."

They shared one last kiss and then he was gone. She watched him go from the balcony atop his large, dark gray katorse, followed by the soldiers picked for the activity.

Maybe she _should_ have gone back to bed, as per the doctor's instructions, but it had been some time ever since she took a walk around the castle. Besides, she was tired of being in bed all the time, and now that Otto would be gone for about a week she didn't see much point in locking herself in there.

So Ratja made her way out into the royal gardens, hands resting on her abdomen as she hummed a pleasant tune. It was a warm and clear day. The birds chirped and the sunlight warmly caressed everything in its path. So peaceful… Ratja could already imagine a pair of little feet running around the place, trying to catch butterflies.

Speaking of feet, these past months she had taken notice of something peculiar. Whenever the baby kicked, it felt like it did in two places at the same time. Maybe she should have notified the doctor, but frankly, she didn't think it was a reason to worry. What _did_ worry her were the additional painful cramps she has been having these weeks. This was the reason the doctor recommended her to stay in bed; the checkups didn't show anything wrong so far, but he thought it was better safe than sorry. He didn't say it out loud, but he was partly afraid of how Otto would react should something happen to her or the baby while they were under his care.

Ratja felt a little guilty. Otto was not aware of the cramps or the 'additional' feet. She asked the doctor not to tell him anything about it. He had enough in his mind already, she didn't want him to additionally worry about her.

She came to the gazebo to take a break when her feet started to hurt. This became more frequent lately, mostly because of the additional weight her body had to carry. Ratja inhaled and exhaled a few times to recover her breath.

"Your Majesty!" Ratja sighed just as a young grimalkin girl came running. It was good while it lasted. "I've been looking for you all over, milady…"

"Is something the matter, Isabell?"

"N-No, milady, but his Majesty… He asked me to stay with you in case…"

"…Something happens." Ratja finished. Damn it, Otto! She glanced at Isabell sympathetically. "Judging by how you're panting, I guess you have given quite the laps around the castle, didn't you?"

Isabell bowed her head. "I'm so sorry, milady, it's just that I'm actually new here and I don't know my way around yet!"

She couldn't help but laugh, remembering her own first days in the castle's labyrinth-like corridors. It took her two months to get used to it. "That's okay. You're not the only one, anyone here can tell you of their misadventures on their first days while trying to navigate through the castle."

"Really? I mean, I never got the impression from the outside…" Isabell flickered her ears. "With all due respect, milady, King Mausinger also asked me to remind you that you should be in bed."

"He did?"

"Y-Yes… Before departing he told me that if I found you anywhere that was not your royal chambers, I had to tell you that."

Wow. He _really_ knew her well. Then again, perhaps she _should_ go back to bed now. With Isabell's help, she got back on her feet and both made their way back to the royal chambers, inconveniently located in the upper levels. Sometimes she considered putting one of Broadleaf's elevators to save them the bother of climbing so many stairs but knew Otto would refuse stubbornly. He and machines… didn't get along well.

"Are you feeling well, your majesty?"

"Yes, just a bit tired, that's all…"

"Does King Mausinger treat you well-?" Isabell took a hand to her mouth, horrified. "I-I'm sorry, milady, I didn't mean…!"

Too late. "What do you mean?" Ratja asked with a small frown. "Why do you ask such a question?"

"P-Please forget I ever asked-!"

"_Isabell_."

The grimalkin took a deep breath. "My mother didn't want me to work here. My family is having economic issues and I wanted to help, I told her I'd have a nice salary here, but she didn't like the idea of me being near… King Mausinger. His guards had my father arrested for defending her from a taunting mousekin and we didn't see him again until after the treaty with Evermore was signed…."

Ratja's frown disappeared. True, Otto had changed his ways for the better, but that didn't erase the fact he had murdered King Leonhard and the first months of his usurped rule consisted of a vendetta against the grimalkin. It was no wonder that even after his change of heart, his popularity amongst the cats was non-existent.

There was even a time when even _she_ thought the worst of him for stabbing such a wonderful king as Leonhard in the back when he had placed all his trust and faith in him. But deep down, she knew Otto was not evil, all he wanted was to make sure their people would never be oppressed ever again, and Vermine had taken advantage of his insecurities to-

The mere mention of him was enough to make her blood boil. And she wasn't the only one: Otto explicitly forbad everybody from _ever_ mentioning that treacherous snake's name in his presence again.

"The king made mistakes, that's true, Isabell, but deep down he is a good person. He truly is trying his best to make things better and to correct those mistakes."

….

It happened the third day after Otto's departure. Ratja was in the nursery humming a nice tune for her unborn child when out of nowhere, she felt a wetness in between her legs and liquid flushing out. Her suspicions were confirmed when she felt a mild contraction.

It was time.

"Your majesty, what is it?" Isabell asked in alarm when the Queen called her.

Ratja was leaning unto the wall with a grimace. "Fetch the doctor… And send a messenger to King Mausinger." She _had_ promised him that she'd tell him if something happened.

The next hour was a blur. While Isabell went to do as told, Ratja had to go back to the room aided by some nearby maids. She thanked her stubbornness in putting the nursery as close to their bedroom as possible. As she lay down in bed, she made sure to take deep breaths just like the doctor had told her.

The atmosphere in the castle became tense when the doctor arrived weeks before the due date the birth was supposed to take place. Once he went into the room with midwives, the latter carrying towels and water, the doors were locked. An hour passed. Then another. and another. By the fifth hour, the screaming started.

People got worried about the health of their Queen and the upcoming prince (or princess). Usually, premature births were very risky. Overall, they were worried about how the King would react.

* * *

"Can't this thing go faster?!"

"It's already going at top speed, your Majesty!"

He had to say, he thought the rumors about Evan having acquired a flying transport were only that, until _now_.

Mausinger had _never_ been fond of heights; even the castle balconies gave him vertigo sometimes, but now he _really_ needed to get back home ASAP. It would have taken too long even by katorseback, so Evan graciously offered to lend him the flying-boat-machine to give him a lift back to Dell. He was partly starting to regret it; his stomach was twisting and he was trying his best not to throw up.

He knew it! He should have stayed with Ratja! But _no_, she insisted on him coming and just look at what happened! He'd be very fortunate if he hadn't missed it already; it had taken the messenger half a day to reach Evermore by katorseback, he had already lost too much time.

At long last, Mausinger saw the familiar towers down below. "We're almost there!"

"We have to slow down before starting the descent."

"And how long will that take?!"

"Half an hour-"

"Half a- Are you kidding me?!"

"With all due respect, your Majesty, if we descend at this speed we might have no time to change direction if there's a building or any other obstacle in front of us!"

"I have no time for that, damn it!" Mausinger glanced in the direction of the castle. They weren't that high. If only he could teleport all the way down…. A strategy started to take shape in his mind. It was _very_ risky, but if it worked it would save him the thirty minutes of waiting. "Fly me closer to the castle!"

"What?"

"Just do it!"

The pilot reluctantly did as told. Mausinger calculated the distance needed to teleport into the upper corridors near their chambers. He would have teleported there directly, but he didn't want to give Ratja a heart-attack, especially if she was still in labor. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes shut… here goes nothing.

"Hey, what are you- YOUR MAJESTY!"

….

Isabell and all who were waiting outside the royal chambers for any word about their Queen literally jumped when King Mausinger teleported into the corridor out of nowhere, panting heavily and his orange hair messier than usual. One of the maids gathered the courage to ask. "Y-Your Majesty? How did you…?"

Mausinger recovered his composure (and breath) and went back to his feet. "Where is the Queen?!"

"S-She's inside, but-"

"How long has she been in labor?! Any word yet?! Has she had any complications?!"

"I… We…"

"_Answer me_!"

Before anyone could, though, they heard a tiny wail coming from the other side of the door. Mausinger froze. At long last, the door opened and the doctor came out; he clearly wasn't expecting to see Mausinger. "Your Majesty? I thought you were in Evermore-"

"How is Ratja?"

"Exhausted, but well." There were collected sighs of relief from the staff and the king himself. "She was in labor for fifteen hours, but both she and the babies are okay."

Mausinger's ears perked up. "Wait a minute… Did you just say… _babies_?"

The doctor nodded. "Apparently, her Majesty was carrying twins."

Twins… He was in so much shock he didn't notice the congratulating words and the excited chatter amongst the maids. This meant… He gulped the lump in his throat. "Can I go in?"

"Of course, your Majesty, but I'd recommend not upsetting your wife. She's still a bit delicate from all the effort." Mausinger didn't need to be told twice; he walked past the doctor and into the room.

He couldn't help it, his fur bristled upon seeing the mess. There were bloody towels and blankets being gathered to be taken to the laundry, alongside one or two bowls of water, one of which was tinted red. By the gods, if the blankets were that ruined, he didn't want to imagine the state of the mattress.

As soon as he saw his wife, however, that became the least of his worries. The doctor hadn't been exaggerating when he said she was exhausted. He could see it in her eyes and her slightly damp fur. Her hair was spreading out in all directions across the pillow and bed. She looked up at him.

"Otto?" She asked, blinking. "How did you get here so soon?"

He didn't hear her. All his attention was centered on the two small bundles cradled in both of her arms. He didn't even hear himself telling everyone else in the room to clear out so he'd be alone with his wife… and children.

Ratja smiled tiredly at him. "They are a little boy and girl." She answered the unspoken question.

Ignoring the probably ruined-beyond-repair mattress, Mausinger came to sit right next to his wife to take a closer look at the babies. The first had an uncanny resemblance to Ratja, but with sandy brown fur and a tiny tuft of darker hair. The other one already gave signs that she'd have his elongated snout, but her fur was pure white with small patches of brown and a small tuft of orange hair in the middle of her head. Both had their eyes closed shut; they couldn't open until the first week.

"Who was born first?" Mausinger food himself asking.

Ratja glanced at the white girl. "Her. She's technically half an hour older than her brother," Sighing, she glanced at the boy. "I swear, he was just as stubborn as his father."

"Oh, _I_ am the stubborn one?"

"He certainly didn't get it from _me_, did he?" Guess he couldn't argue with that logic.

The boy frowned and started squirming uncomfortably while letting out small whimpers. "Here, let me lend you a hand…" Mausinger carefully took his son in his arms.

The sensation he felt when he first held his son was indescribable. He felt happy, proud and a deep desire to keep him close and protect him from any harm. Was this how fatherhood felt? Was this how Leonhard had felt when Evan was born? He remembered him that day, with a beaming smile and a jolly mood to the point he threw a big celebration the whole week.

The little one's whimpers turned into loud wailing. Mausinger panicked momentarily, unsure of what to do. Ratja bounced their daughter in her arms gently to show him. He warily mimicked the gesture. This seemed to be enough for the boy, who quieted down back into slumber. He sighed in relief.

"Perhaps we should name them at once."

"Now? We didn't pick any names when I told you we should."

"I know, but believe me: soon my advisors are going to all over me asking how we have named the children and who we are going to pick as the heir."

Ratja huffed. "Can't _that _little detail wait until later?"

Mausinger nodded, agreeing. He didn't want to think about that either. He was sure they'd urge him to pick the boy, but he'd rather wait until the little ones grew older to check who was more fitting. He wasn't going to deny his daughter any chances just because of such a trivial thing as gender, as had often been the case with past rulers.

"By the way, Otto, how did you get here so fast? The messenger probably took half a day to get the message to Evermore. And I'm sure it would have taken you the same to return, even if your katorse is the fastest in the kingdom."

Mausinger felt a shiver down his spine. "Remember the 'flying machine' King Evan is said to have?"

"No way!" He nodded. "I thought you hated heights."

"I _do_, my dear. It wasn't a… pleasant experience, but it was the only way I'd get here on time." He frowned when Ratja started to laugh. "I don't find it any amusing!"

"And _you_ called King Leonhard crazy for trying to climb all the way into the birthing room when Queen Evelyn went into labor."

He would have rubbed his temple if he weren't holding a baby, but the look of dismay on his face said everything. "Don't remind me." It's hard to forget watching his King and old friend trying to climb up the castle walls after being kicked out of the birthing room. Mausinger had been close to suffering a heart attack at least twice.

"So who names who?" Ratja asked, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to name the boy," Mausinger responded. He was looking down at his son, especially as the tiny fingers gripped his beard. He smiled. He already had a name in mind for him.

Hours later, his advisors called in, just like he said they would. Reluctantly, he had to momentarily leave his wife and newborn children to rest. As he expected, most of the court was there, though only one spoke. "Ah, your Majesty! First of all, we'd like to congratulate both you and the Queen for such a blessing. Two children at the same time, who would have imagined?"

"Indeed, it was… unexpected." Mausinger frowned. "What is it you need that couldn't wait until _morning_?" he uttered the last word with notable irritation.

"Our sincerest apologies, your Majesty, but we'd like to know if you've already picked a name for the children."

Mausinger sighed. "As a matter of fact, we did. The girl's name is Lillian, after Ratja's dearly-departed mother."

"And the boy?"

A brief moment of silence followed as Mausinger momentarily glanced back at the half-open door. Even though the bedroom was partly dark in order to let Ratja and the babies sleep, he could make out the shape of his only son, peacefully sleeping in his mother's embrace alongside his sister.

"His name is Leon."


End file.
